Container closure



July' 12',- 1938. A. KAr-:HLER 2,123,553,

CONTAINER CLOSURE W Filgd June 2o, 195s INVENTOR.

W' Y m Wff/ ATTORNEY.

.Patented July 12, 193s UNITED STATES CONTAINER CLOSURE Alfred Kuehler, Chicago, lll., assigner to Wilson` Bennett Manufacturing Company, Chicago,

Ill., a corporation oi Application June 2e,

My invention is for e barrel or'other container of the type known as a full open head in which the head is clamped in closing position by means of a. novel ring. Verious types of rings of this character have been heretofore used or proposed but many of them were either complicated in construction or unsatisfactory in operation; In accordance with this invention I provide a ,closing ring having a single moving part or closing lever which isv pivoted to one end oi the ring and pivotaily connected to the other end by means ci a slidable or movable pivot.

' The objects oi' the invention are to provide an improved container closure of the character indicated which will be simple and comparatively cheap in construction and durable and emcient and easy in operation.

Other objects and advantages will appear more fully from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which Figure i is a top plan view showing a portion of the ring in open position;

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the ring in closed position with parte broken away or shown in section;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line .ft-3 oi Figure 2; end

Figure e is e. sectional View taken on the line i-- oi Fleur@ nl The drum or berrel' has s bend or roll 'i around the upper end and is provided with a cover t having a. depressed portion or wall t and a flange iii. The ange it extends out over the bead l and a gasket I l is usually interposed therebetween if a tight closure is to be made.

The head is clamped in closing position by means of a split contractible ring it*l which is substantially semi-circular in cross section or having converging engaging walls which coact -withthe bead and danse 4as will be readily understood by those ,familiar with these devices. One end it of the ring is provided'with a pivot plate I or lug it which is preferably weldedthereto and which extends inwardly to clear the outer wall oi' the cover and circumferentially'a substantial distance beyond the opposite end i@ of the ring.`

Illinois 193:3, Serial No. $6,328

(Ci, 2te-eil the barrel and engages with a catch 2t extending intesi-diy from the ring, to hold the ring closed..l The short arm ii oi the lever iii is preferebly blfurcated and straddles the lus il. The lug il has a substantially radial slot i2 which serves 5 as e. guideway for a rivet or pivot member 28 which extends through the bifurcated end ofthe lever. The pivot is preferably provided with a, rectangular block or cross-head 2S which ts freely in the slot 2,2, this block also serving as a 10 spacer 'or spreaderV for the ends oi the lever.

have found that the provision of a variable or slldable pivotal connection between the lever and the lug il is particularlynecessary or desirable in closures of this type in order to facili- 15 tete the convenient and easy operation of the same. When the lever l@ is moved to extreme open position as shown in Figure l, the slide or block 263 will usually be et the inner end of the slot or toward the center of the barrel. In order 20 to limit the opening movement of the handle I provide a stop lue,7 or detent it on the end oi' the ring or forming a part of the lug ill which engeses with the wall 2t at the inner end of the slot in the biiurcated end 2i of the lever it. This 25 efectually prevents the parts from swinging be yond the desired full open position as shown in Figure 1. -As the lever iii is swung inwardly or towards the center of the barrel during the closins, movement the slide 2&3 moves outwardly or 30 toward the outer end of the slot 22 and remains in this position through the major part of the closing operation. This movement of the slide in the slot prevents undue radial movement oi the end it oi the ring and reduces the power or 35 eort necessary for actuating the same. As the lever reaches the end of its closing, movement the 'block or slide 2li moves inwardly along the slotte its extreme inner position es shown in Figure 2, thus shifting the pivotal point and per- 40 mitting a powerful final closing action or toggle action which is desirable for drawing the ends together 'to malte a tight closure. The position of the pivot i9 with respect to the pivot 23 in the lochng position is preferably such that the 45 iormer has passed the deed center thereby taking the holding strain od from the lever.

While I have shown a simple and convenient means for shifting the pivotal connection between the ring and the lever it will be obvious 50 that other arrangements of this kind nay be utilized without departing from the scope of my invention and othenhanges may also be desirable inorder to adapt the ring lfor different types. Of borrels, drums ir-containers, and therefore I `i515 do not wish to have my invention limited to the particular construction herein shown and described except as specified in the following claims. in which I claim: 5 1. A closing ring of the character set forth having a lug on one end extending inwardly and circumferentially beyond the other end when in closed position, and an inwardly extending `lug on the opposite end which cveriies the first named lug when in closed position, and a closing lever which has a substantially straight inner end pivoted at the end of the first named lug at a point closely adjacent the inner peripheryof the ring with its shortend having a movable pivotal connection with the second named lug at a point adjacent the oppomte end of the ring and close to the inner periphery thereof whereby the lugs will be moved to overlying position when the ring is closed.

2.y A contractible split closing vring of the character set forth having an inwardly extending lug at one end with a substantially straight radial slot therein 'and having. an inwardly and circumferentially extending lug at the opposite end which overlaps the first named lug when in closed .Y

position, a closing lever pivoted at the end of the last named lug at a point close to the vinner pe' riphery of the -x-ing, said closing lever having a bifurcated end straddling the flrst named lug, l and a pivot connecting the bifurcated ends and extending through `said slot, said pivotal points lying on a substantially circumferential line with-f in the periphery of the ring when the ring is in closed position.

3. split closing ring for containers having a pivot plate at one end which extends a substantial distance beyond the opposite end, a lug on the opposite, end overlapping the pivot plate when in closed position,` an operating lever pivotally con- 0 nected with the end of the pivotplate and having one end projecting over said lug, a slide, mounted nections lying close tothe ring when in closedy position and lying on a substantially circumferential line within the periphery of the ring, said lever serving4 to first swing the ends toward each other and finally swing the last named end inwardly to close the same and also serving tol spread the ends apart for opening the same.

5. The combination with a metal container having an open end with a bead around the same and a removable cover having a marginal flange aiaasss overlyingthe bead, of a contractible clamping ring having portions engageable with the bead and flange for pressing the same together when the ring is contracted, and means for'contracting the ring comprising a single curved lever member having a straight end portion at one end substantially in alignment with the adjacent portion andproviding a tangential end portion havingA pivotal connection with one end of the ring, said member also having a slidable pivotal connection with the opposite end of the ring, said last named connection being spaced from the first named connection and also being located at a distance circumferentially from the last named end of the ring; said pivotal connections also lying on a substantially circumferential line within the ring when in closed position, and means on the ring for engagement with said movable member to limit the opening movement thereof.

6. The combination with a container having a removable head, of a split channel shaped ring for fastening the head to the container, said ring having an inwardly extending plvot'plate which projects circumferentially beyond the opposite end and which has an offset portion; a lever pivoted to the outer end of the pivot plate and having a blfurcated short en'd,a` lug onnthe opposite end of the ring extending inwardlyi'throgh the bifurcated end and having a substantially straight, short radial guideway, a block -slidably mounted in said guideway, a pin extending through said block and the bifurcated end, and a detent on the last named end for engagement with the lever to limit the opening movement thereof.

7. A closing ringfor containers of the character setv forth, comprising a split ring having a circumferential projection on the inside thereof extending la substantial distance-beyond one end of the ring and havingan inwardly extending projection adjacent to the opposite end thereof, a closing lever having a substantially straight pivotalportion terminating in a curved extension adapted to lie within the periphery of the ring when closed, said straight portion being pivotally connected to the first named projection at a point which is close to the inner periphery of the ring when the ring is closed and having a sliding pivotal connection at the end thereof with the second named projection, said sliding pivot having a limited radial movement in the projection, the arrangement being such that when the ring is in open position said projections will be substantially in lalignment and when the lever is swung to close the same the slidable pivot will swing out and over the first named pivot to bring the projections into overlapping relation with the pivots on a substantially circumferential line withinthe periphery of the ring when in closed position, the nnal movement serving to force the last named end inwardly toward the center, substantially as described.

, ALFRED KAEHLER. 

